Farsia

The Farsia (pronounced "Far'zee'aa") are an ethnic group, originating from the eastern Samuelonia/western Angliyaa border region. Most Farsia are now found in the Saint Nicholas Province, in St. Samuel, where the Farsia were given refuge in 112 AP.

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The total population of Farsian's living in St. Samuel is 814,452 and the majority of these live in eastern Saint Nicholas Province. The total number of Farsian's in Vexillium is believed to be somewhere around two million.

The Farsian's speak an ancient language known as Ammardakkan, a language which was spoken by many of the Samuelonian tribes over 3000 years ago. The Farsian Ammardakkan has remained largely unchanged from it's ancient begginings. Most Farsian's are bilingual or polylingual, speaking Ingallish and Lamanerdan.

The Farsian originate from the eastern Samuelonia/western Angliyaa border region. Around 3500 BP, the Farsian's were a loose federation of roaming desert tribes, never staying in one place for more than a week. This tradition remained, up until around 1000 BP, by which time most Farsian's were living in cities along the Samuelonian/Angliyaa border. At around this time, most Farsian's embraced the Mounism religion, which was spreading throughout the region at the time.

Farsian culture and heritage remained blissfully intact in the region, with many Farsian traders flourishing. With the clever business acumen that Farsian's became renowned for, the Farsian's used there close networks to command the Samuelonian/Angliyaan trade routes.

It was around the time of the Plague that Mounist Farsian's began suffering racial prejudice in Angliyaa. Many Angliyaan's blamed the Farsian's for the Plague, accusing many of being carrier's disease. Many fled to the predominate Mounist North-East St. Samuel, but it was in 112 AP that the real ethnic troubles between Angliyaan's and Farsian's began. By August 112 AP Farsian's living in Angliyaa were being ethnically cleansed. The lucky one's only lost there homes and businesses or were inprisoned for little more than being Farsian, whilst the unlucky one's were brutally murdered. From 112 to 115 AP, it is believed that around 28,000 thousand Anglo-Farsian's were killed and around 200,000 made homeless.

By 120 AP nearly all Anglo-Farsian's had fled across the border to St. Samuel. Most Samuelonian's looked on the ethnic cleansing in disgust and the King of St. Samuel condemned the killing's. But this didn't make the refugee's welcome. Many feared the newcomers would take there business and land away from them and quietly shunned Farsian's, even those already living in St. Samuel.

In 131 AP the King of St Samuel made the decision to give the Farsian's large portion's of uninhabited land in the eastern region of the Saint Nicholas province. The Farsian's were encouraged to re-locate to the region by the sale of cheap and in many cases free land. The region became known as Farsialand, which has now become the firm homeland of Farsian's throughout Vexillium.

Since 131 AP Farsialand has flourished. The Farsian's made a succesful living from banking and trade and now over 800,000 Farsian's live in the region.

Farsian culture has been strongly influenced by Mounism, which is the main religion of the Farsian people. Farsi Mounism is somewhat different to other Mounist denominations in that they believe in a number of different prophets.

Farsia culture has remained largely unchanged for thousands of years, with every aspect of life based around the family. By tradition Farsian's have large families, with many basing themselves in one large home. It is not uncommon for uncles, aunt's and cousin's to share one home. Another big tradition is for a Farsian only to marry a fellow Farsian. For a Farsian to marry outside of it's culture is a sure way of banishment from it's people.

Farsian's main religion is Mounism and this in turn has meant that alcohol is looked upon in disdain. Fasrian females will traditionaly be the home makers, staying at home and serving there husbands. Farsian's will also marry young and in day's gone by would marry within the family, but this practice is now a rarity, after a huge government push to educate the Farsian's in the possible health implications of marrying within the family.